The present invention relates to a video game apparatus using an optical disk, a magnetic disk or, for example, a cassette-type recording medium including a semiconductor memory or the like in which program data are stored, a background sound output setting method in a video game and a computer readable recording medium storing a background sound output setting program.
A large number of video game systems have been proposed. These systems include, for example, systems comprised of a special device for home use and a television monitor and systems comprised of a special device for business use, a personal computer or a workstation, a display and a sound output device. Any one of these systems includes a controller used by a game player for operation, a recording medium storing game program data, a CPU for executing controls to generate images and sounds based on the game program data, a processor for generating images, a processor for generating sounds, a CRT or like monitor for displaying images, and a loudspeaker for outputting sounds. CD-ROMs, semiconductor memories, cassette-type recording mediums having a built-in semiconductor memory are frequently used as the above recording medium.
In such video game systems, various competition games such as soccer and baseball games and various running races such as short-distance races and long-distance races which are played outdoors, and gymnastic competitions such as the vaulting horse and the horizontal bar and various other competitions made indoors can be executed in the game space. In event places such as stadiums and gymnasiums where competitions are actually made, various sound components such as xe2x80x9ccheersxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cnoisesxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9capplausexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cvigorous soundsxe2x80x9d from the spectators are present. Thus, a game full of feeling of being present at the competition can be realized by outputting various background sounds corresponding to the various sound components at the actual event place as the game progresses in the video game system.
In the actual event place such as the stadium and the track and field stadium, athletes, players, spectators and the like are sometimes photographed while changing a viewing point and a viewing direction of a camera. Thus, a game full of feeling of being present at the competition can be realized by displaying game screens in which the viewing point and the viewing direction are changed in the video game system. In such a case, if the viewing point and the viewing direction are changed, the positions of the sound sources change, thereby changing how the various sound components from the spectators are heard. Therefore, the game may lack a feeling of presence unless the output of the background sounds is changed such that they are similarly heard as at the actual event place when the viewing point and the viewing direction are changed in the video game system.
In view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a video game apparatus which can execute a game full of feeling of presence even if a viewing point and a viewing direction are changed, a background sound output setting method in a video game and a computer readable recording medium storing a background sound output setting program.
In order to fulfill the above object according to the present invention, a video game apparatus in which a specified event is executed in a game space displayed on a monitor, and a plurality of background sounds having different attributes are outputted at a specified output ratio from a plurality of sound output units spaced apart from each other, comprising:
a recording unit for storing the plurality of background sounds as background sound data, and
a background sound control unit for setting the output ratio of the background sounds having different attributes to be output from the sound output units according to a viewing point and a viewing direction in the game space while reading the background sound data from the recording unit and outputting them from the plurality of sound output units.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.